1940s - 1980s
Powering Progress
PGEs involvement and leadership with the Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition led to a rapid increase in the Portland area population, with people coming from all over the country to see the city with lights. This population growth led to the growth of additional industries, new communities outside of downtown and inherently the need for more electricity.
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
With the Faraday, River Mill, and Oak Grove Hydroelectric Plants generating substantial amounts of clean energy along the Clackamas River, the company saw additional potential and looked to expand the overall project with more hydro power capacity to meet the growing demand.
Era highlights:
North Fork Powerhouse
Building Reliable Power Plants
As PGE looked to expand existing infrastructure to support growing demand for power, the company developed new generation sites that harnessed the power of water with a large hydroelectric project east of the Cascades and began experimenting with new generation technologies that were revolutionary for their time.
Era highlights:
Beaver Combustion Plant
PGE Firsts
PGE celebrates countless transmission and distribution milestones during this era, including advances in technology and the creation of the first PGE transmission line that transversed the Cascade Range connecting the newly constructed eastern hydroelectric generation plants to the Portland Metro service territory.
Highlights:
Distribution Technology
Trojan Nuclear Plant
230kV Transmission
Boardman Coal Plant
Era highlights:
Steam Engine Generators
Steel Tower Transmission
Long Distance Transmission
PGE Firsts
The first era of PGE’s history saw the introduction of electricity as a part of everyday life in Portland.PGE achieved the first long-distance transmission of electricity in the U.S., spanning fourteen miles from Willamette Falls in Oregon City to Portland. This milestone, along with other electric generation and transmission firsts, marked the electrification of Oregon and put PGE and Portland on the map.
Era highlights:
Three Lynx Village
PGE lights the Lewis & Clark Exposition, dazzling visitors and leading the Portland area into a period of explosive growth. The company stayed busy selling an assortment of wonderous electrical appliances while building new power plants along the Clackamas River to keep up with growing demand.
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
Era highlights:
Willamette Falls Powerhouse
Willamette Falls: the birthplace of an electric Oregon & PGE
PGE’s story begins with the formation of the Willamette Falls Electric Company, generating electricity from Station A, the company’s first power plant. The T.W. Sullivan Hydroelectric Plant, originally called Station B, was added in 1895 to replace Station A and remains in operation today generating approximately 16MW of clean energy.
Electrifying Oregon
With the availability of electricity that originated at Willamette falls, industry in Portland and the surrounding area thrived. During this era, this new, electric power from the falls. along with the Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition, did wonders to put Portland on the map. Although reliance on electricity wasn’t what it’s like today, the founders saw the future opportunities for the region and expanded PGE’s operations to the Clackamas River.
1860s - 1930s
Beaver Combustion Plant
History of PGE
Electrifying Oregon
Powering Progress
A Thoughtful Transition
History of PGE
Electrifying Oregon
Powering Progress
A Thoughtful Transition
History of PGE
Electrifying Oregon
Powering Progress
A Thoughtful Transition
Forever Evolving
Powering the Future
A Thoughtful Transition
Clackamas Project Expansion
Building Reliable Power Plants
Powering Progress
Willamette Falls
Clackamas River Construction
Electrifying Oregon
History of PGE
2007 | Port Westward
Forever Evolving
Learn about Port Westward
2007 | Biglow Canyon Wind Farm
Powering the Future
Learn about Biglow Canyon Wind Farm
2016 | Carty Generating Station
Forever Evolving
View the 1990s - Present Timeline
2020 | Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility
Powering the Future
View the 1990s - Present Timeline
2014 | Tucannon River Wind Farm
Powering the Future
Learn about Tucannon River Wind Farm
1974 | Beaver Combustion Plant
Building Reliable Power Plants
Learn about Beaver Combustion Plant
1976 | Trojan Nuclear Power Plant
Building Reliable Power Plants
Learn about Trojan Nuclear Power Plant
1980 | Boardman Coal Power Plant
Building Reliable Power Plants
Learn about Boardman Coal Power Plant
1958 | North Fork Hydroelectric Plant
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
Learn about North Fork Hydroelectric Plant
1964 | Round Butte Dam & Powerhouse
Building Reliable Power Plants
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1958 | Pelton Dam & Powerhouse
Building Reliable Power Plants
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1965 | Bethel-Round Butte Transmission Line
Building Reliable Power Plants
Learn about Bethel-Round Butte Transmission Line
1956 | Timothy Lake
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1956 | Frog Lake
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1953 | PGE Parks & Recreation
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1909 | Electric Building
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
1911 | The Milliken Transmission Line
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
Learn about The Milliken Transmission Line
1907 | Faraday Powerhouse (Station G)
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
1911 | River Mill Powerhouse (Station M)
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
1924 | Three Lynx Village
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
Learn about Three Lynx Village
1924 | Oak Grove Powerhouse (Station P)
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
1895 | T.W. Sullivan Powerhouse (Station B)
Willamette Falls: the birthplace of an electric Oregon & PGE
Learn about Station B
1889 | Willamette Falls Powerhouse (Station A)
Willamette Falls: the birthplace of an electric Oregon & PGE
Learn about Station A
1868 | Willamette Falls Canal and Locks Company
Willamette Falls: the birthplace of an electric Oregon & PGE
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
2007 | Port Westward
Forever Evolving
Learn about Port Westward
2007 | Biglow Canyon Wind Farm
Powering the Future
Learn about Biglow Canyon Wind Farm
2016 | Carty Generating Station
Forever Evolving
View the 1990s - Present Timeline
2020 | Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility
Powering the Future
View the 1990s - Present Timeline
2014 | Tucannon River Wind Farm
Powering the Future
Learn about Tucannon River Wind Farm
1974 | Beaver Combustion Plant
Building Reliable Power Plants
Learn about Beaver Combustion Plant
1976 | Trojan Nuclear Power Plant
Building Reliable Power Plants
Learn about Trojan Nuclear Power Plant
1980 | Boardman Coal Power Plant
Building Reliable Power Plants
Learn about Boardman Coal Power Plant
1958 | North Fork Hydroelectric Plant
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
Learn about North Fork Hydroelectric Plant
1964 | Round Butte Dam & Powerhouse
Building Reliable Power Plants
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1958 | Pelton Dam & Powerhouse
Building Reliable Power Plants
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1965 | Bethel-Round Butte Transmission Line
Building Reliable Power Plants
Learn about Bethel-Round Butte Transmission Line
1956 | Timothy Lake
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1956 | Frog Lake
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1953 | PGE Parks & Recreation
Expansion of the Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project
View the 1940s - 1980s Timeline
1909 | Electric Building
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
1911 | The Milliken Transmission Line
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
Learn about The Milliken Transmission Line
1907 | Faraday Powerhouse (Station G)
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
1911 | River Mill Powerhouse (Station M)
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
1924 | Three Lynx Village
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
Learn about Three Lynx Village
1924 | Oak Grove Powerhouse (Station P)
Constructing Hydropower on the Clackamas River
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
1895 | T.W. Sullivan Powerhouse (Station B)
Willamette Falls: the birthplace of an electric Oregon & PGE
Learn about Station B
1889 | Willamette Falls Powerhouse (Station A)
Willamette Falls: the birthplace of an electric Oregon & PGE
Learn about Station A
1868 | Willamette Falls Canal and Locks Company
Willamette Falls: the birthplace of an electric Oregon & PGE
View the 1860s - 1930s Timeline
Show All
A Thoughtful Transition
1990s - Present
Powering Progress
1940s - 1980s
Electrifying Oregon
1860s - 1930s